Machine for automatically applying slip covers to containers



J. F. PRICE 7 Aug. 12, 19.41;

MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY APPLYING SLIP COVERS T0 CONTAINERS Filed June 22. 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. JOHN E P/Z/CE J/ZW IE; J

ORNEYS J. F. PRICE Aug.'12, 1941.

MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY APPLYING SLIP COVERS TO CONTAINERS Filed June 22, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

mu AT ORNEYS- J V n l-rrliuill lli E P E N JIE;* E

J. F. PRICE Aug. 12, 1941.

MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLYAPPLYING SLIP COVERS T0 CONTAINERS Filed June 22, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEI .IOR. JOHN F? PE/CE o f 1. W M 0G5 o a, 4 U w W m m I- Y 0/, 0% a J 4 0' O a fl w 6. .0, gr O\\\\ O g 1941. J. F. PRICE MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY APPLYING SLIP COVERS TO CONTAINERS Filed June 22, 1939 I fc M a 14 75 73 85 59 25 I 2 y 42 I 0' F I I; 4

INVENTOR.

JOHN F. PIE/CE BY $5M 4Z 0mm.

J. F. PRICE Aug. 12, 1941.

MACHINE FURY AUTOMATICALLY APPLYING SLIP COVERS TO CONTAINERS Filed June 22, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 'loo INVENTOR. JOHN F. P/Z/CE.

A ORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 12, 1941 OFFICE Miami: ronscrotum-10m srrmmvo sm covaas 'ro commas John F. Price, Fulton, N. Y.,

Falls Corporatiom-Fulton,

of New York ssslgnor to Oswego N. Y., a corporation Application June 22, 1939, Serial No. 280,667

7 Claims. (c1. 226-80) (This invention relates to a machine for apply:-

ing slip covers to containers. More particularly, the slip covers consist; of a discoidal portion arranged. in the filling opening'of the container,

and a depending cylindrical flange encircling the top of the container. The containers are of cylindrical formation, and the covers and contain ers are generally :formed of fibrous material, such as paperboard. I

Containers of the type referred to are used upper portion of the machineitakenon line 4-4, a

extensively in retail establishments for the pack-v aging of food. For example, many are usedin ice-cream parlors for the packaging of ice-cream for home consumption. Heretof'ore; the slip covers have. been applied to the filled containers by hand. Tliehandling of the slip covers by the clerk is objectionable, and the general object of this invention is a machine in which the slip covers may be arranged in stack formation, the machine being operable to automatically apply a slip cover to a container when the container is placed on the container support of the machine. i

The invention has as a further object a ma-' chine of the type referred to embodying a particularly simple and efficient mechanism for successively' transferring the covers from the stack formation and applying them-to the containers, the mechanism beingvautomatically operated by power rendering the machine particularly useful for applying covers to a' comparatively large number of filled containers within a minimum time.

The invention has as a further object a ma I chine for automatically applying slip covers to containers embodying" a construction whereby substantially the entire outer surface of the ma chine is smooth and free from projections, and may be readily and conveniently cleaned to maintain the machine in a sanitary condition, and which includes mechanism which is operable through one cyc1e to apply a cover to a container when the latter is placed on thecontainer support of the machine. 1

a The invention consists in, the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth andclaimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had 1 to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is aside elevational viewof a machine embodying my invention. Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the-ma chine shown'in Figure .work is completed by a pair of plates l5 ex- Figure 3 "is a top plan view of the machine taken on substantially line 3-8, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the Figure 3.

Figure}: is a side elevational view of the lower portion of the machine illustrating'the driving mechanism in normal or disengaged position.

Figure 6 is sectional view of the driving mechanism taken on line 8-8, Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary elevational view of the control latchand driving mechanism illustrating the relative position of the parts during operation of the machine.

The machine herein shown. as ,a. preferred embodiment of my invention, includes a frame consisting of four vertically extending corner posts I0 mounted upon a base plate ll intermediate cross members l2, and front and back top cross members 13, II. The top portion of the frametending in spaced apart relationship from the 'front and back cross pieces l3, M. The covers C are arranged in stack formation in a chute It carried by a supporting bracket l1 secured to the rear cross piece It by screws- I l. The chute I6 is arranged in angular relationship to the top of the machine, with, the lower end of the chute terminating, adjacent thefront or forward side of the machine. The covers are yieldihgly retained in the chuteli by a rubber band I! encircling the lower end of the chute with the lower end of the band contracting to engage the lowerlmost cover of th stack. The'sides and ends of the frame are e iclosed by plates 20, the plate beingnmitted from the left side of the machine in Figure 1, and from the front end of the ma l chine in Figure .2, in order to more clearly show the mechanism of the machine.

jl'he covers 0 are applied to the containers bya head 22. The head 22 is ofgeneral cylindrical formation having a flat side 23 arranged adiacent the front of the .machine and provided wi a rectangular shaped aperture 24 to permit th covers to be fed from plates l5 into the head. The lower end of the head is provided with a conical bore 25. The head 22 is slidably mounted upon the lower end of a stem 21 which is slidably arranged in abracket 28 secured to screws Ill. Apresser the top of the machine, as by pad II is secured to the lower end of the stem 21 and is normally maintained against the under side of the top of the head by a helical compression spring I! enclrclinga rod 33 which an aperture in'tlm bracket 28.

and is secured at its lower end to the pad 8|, andis provided at its upper end with a head 88. The spring 82 acts between the bracket 28 and the head 88 to urge the pad 81 against the top of the head 22 and to urge the head upwardly. The head 22 is reciprocated vertically toward and from a container support 88 mounted upon the front of the "machine. This motion is accomplished by a pair of links 88 pivotally secured at their upper ends to'a transversely extending arm 88 provided centrally with a bore to slidably receive the upper end of the stem 21. The movement of the arm 88, relative to the stem 21, is confined by collars 40 secured to'the stem. The lower ends of the links 88 are pivotallyconnected to the endsof arms 4| secured to a shaft 42 Journalled in bearings 43 carried by the cross members l2. One of the arms 4|, to the left Figure l, constitutes one leg of a bell crank,- the opposite leg 44 being pivotally connected to a link 48 which in turn is pivotally connected to a crank pin 48 carried by the driving disk 41. It will be apparent that upon rotation of the disk 41, the head 22 is moved toward and from the container support 88.

The covers C are successively transferred-from the chute l8 onto the plates I8 in juxtaposition .to the opening 24 in the head. The covers are then moved into the head by a cover feed member in the nature of a slide or shuttle 48.- The covers are yieldingly held in the head by buttons 48 slidably mounted in opposite sides of the head' and pressed inwardly as by. springs 49*. The

' slide 48 is arranged between the confronting edges of the plates l8 and is formed with ribs 88 on each ade edge, the ribs '88 being arranged to slide in co'mplemental grooves formed in the confrontingedges of the plates |8.

A pair of arcuate cover guide and centering members 8| are-adjustabiy secured to the plates l8, as by screws 82, and serve to position the cover in alinement with the opening 24 when the cover is transferred from the stack: formation. The

slide 48 is provided with a cover pusher 84 ad- ;lustably secured'to the slide, as by screw 88. The forward end of the pusher member 84 is of arouate formation to conform to the flange of the slip cover, and the rearwardly extending ends of the de rails 81 are slotted,.as at 88, to permit the pusher member 84 to pass thereunder when the slide is actuated toward the head 22, as illustrated in Figure 4.

- The slide 48 is actuated toward and from the head by a pair of links 88 formed with an integral connect hub 8| rotatably mounted upon the shaft 42 an arranged between the arms 4|. The hub 8! is also provided with-a rearwardly ex,- tendingarm 88, to theend of which is'pivotally connected sling pivotally secured at its opposite end to the rank pin; The upper end ofeach of the links 88 is 'pivotally secured .toconnecting links 81 which, in turn; are pivotallyse cured to oppositeendsof a cross arm 88 secured to the'slide48, as by'screws 88.- The connectionbetween the links 88 and 81 is such as to provide lost motion between these links, and this'is accomplished byv the elongated slots 18 in the for ward and of links 81. Accordingly, as theidisk 41 I is rotated, slide-48 is reciprocated in timed relation to the vertical movement of thehead 22.-

The covers are transferred from the stack for-' mation-to the plates l8 within-the guide rails 8i.

55 positionsthem below the mounted at one end'upon a shaft 18 journalled in bearings 14 secured to the under side of plates I8, as by screws 15. The lever 12 extends forwardly toward the front of the machine. -A

' transversely extending yoke member 18 is mounted upon the forward end of the lever 12 and consists of a centrally arranged depending stem 11 extending through an aperture in the end of the lever 12, and is adjustably secured to the lever by iam nuts 18.

Thestem TI is hollow and connects with a transversely arranged passage in the yoke 16,, which connects at 'ach end with an arcuate shaped tube 18. The upper end of each tube 18 is provided with a conical suction cup 80, and

the plates l8 are provided with apertures 8| to permit the cups 88 to pass therethrough upon oscillation of the lever I2 about its axis I3.

The lever 12 is urged in a counter-clockwise 2 direction, Figures 1 and 4, about its pivot by ten- 5' 84 secured to the under side of slide 48. When the slide 48 is in rearward position, as shown in Figure}, the roller 85, carried by lever 12, engages-the lowermost surface 86 of the cam block 84, and the suction cups 88 are then positioned beneath the surface of plates I8.

As the slide 48 is moved forwardly, the roller 88 passes into engagement with the intermediate cam surface 81, and when the slide 48 has advanced sufliciently 'to transfer the cover into the '35 head 22, the roller 85 moves into engagement with the cam surface 88; at which time the suction cups 88 are moved into engagement with the lowermost cap of the stack formation. The covers are supported in the chute l6 by the yielding in band!!! encircling the lower tubular portion of the chute 16, as previously described.

Upon return movement of the slide 48, the cap is transferred to the plates 18 by roller 88 engaging the intermediate surface 81. When the for-.

is ward end of the cam surface 81 engages the roller 88, the cap is positioned upon the plates l8 and at this time the pusher member 84 has moved rearwardly, between the tubes I8 and with the arcuate portion of the pusher member located just forwardly of said tubes. Thereafter, upon further rearward movement of the slide 48 the lower cam surface 88 engages the roller 88 effect ing movement of the vacuum cups out of engage-- ment with the under side of the slip cover and At this time,-the flangeof the slip cover is pos'i- 1 -tioned upon the plates 18 with, the pusher member 84 arranged within the flange. -As-the slide 48 moves rearwardly to the completion of lit '60 rearward stroke, the flange of the slip cover rides .up the inclined surface of the pusher member until the arcuate portion 'of the member beneath the rear ends of the arcuate guides ll' whereupon the'flange of the slip cover drops onto the plates l8; v-Upon subsequent forward ,move-' I ment of the slide 48-, the cover fed into the head 22. b -A flexible tfibe or hose 88 is connected atone end to the stem TI, and at the opposite end to a 7 vacuumpumpflcylinder 8i.

T e y inder s1 i pivotally mounted at its rearward end to a brack- 8 82, as at 88. 4 piston is slidably mounted in by .a vacuum transfer member operated in timed relatiol to the movement of the'slide 48.

t e cylinder 8| and is actuated byan arcuate arm "cover transfer mechanism consists of a lever. 11 arrangement is, such "that the arm 84 moves'tbe surface of the plates l8. 4

piston inwardly during forward movement of the slide 49. The piston is moved outwardly,'creating a vacuum in the rear end of the cylinder 9|, during the return movement of the slide, whereby a suction is established at the cups 80 just prior to their engagement with the lowermost cover of the stack formation, and this vacuum or suction -s maintained until the cover is deposited on the plates I5.

The disk 41 is rotated continuously by amotor 95 mounted on the base plate II. The disk 41 is connected to the motor 95 by a clutch arrangement operable, when a container is placed in cap ping position on the support 36, to effect one complete revolution of the disk 41. p

The motor 95 is connected to a gear reduction "having a driven shaft 99. A-sleeve I is secured to the shaft99 as by set screws MI. The

inner end of the sleeve I00 is formed with a plu-,

raiity of ratchet teeth I02, and the crank disk 41 is rotatably 'mounted upon-the outer portion of the sleeve I00 and is held from axial movement between the ratchet teeth I02 and a washer I03 secured on the end of the shaft' 99 by screw I04. The shaft 99 and sleeve I00 rotate continuously.

The crank disk 41 is operatively connected to the shaft 99, or sleeve I00, by a pawl or latch I05.

which is pivotally mounted at I06 on the inner side of the disk 41, and is formed with an arm I01 extending outwardly beyond the periphery rod H is moved rearwardly by engagement with a container, the rock arm is caused to move in a counter-clockwise direction effecting release of the pawl I05 and at substantially the same instant the pin II4 moves out of the recess I23 into the enlarged portion of the aperture in the yoke.

of the disk and at, substantially right angles to the latch portion of the pawl. The pawl is urged in a counter-clockwise direction, Figure 5, by spring I09, one end of which is secured to the arm I 01, and the opposite end to apin I09 arranged in the periphery of the disk 41. That is, the pawl is urged into engagement with the ratchet teeth I02 by the spring I08. The pawl I05 is normally'held out of engagement with the ratchet I02 by arm IIO of an angle lever pivoted at .III to a bracket II2 mounted on the baseplate'II. The other arm II3 of the angle lever extends upwardly and is provided atits end with a transversely extending pin III. When the angle lever is moved in a counter-clockwise direction about the pivot III, Figures 1 and 5, the end of the arm I I0 is moved upwardly out'of engagement with the arm I01 of the pawl, and the pawl is then urged into engagement with the ratchet I02 by spring I08, and the rotary movementof the ratchet is thus imparted to the disk 41.

The angle lever -I I0, II3 isactuated to release the pawl I05 when a container A is placed in cover receiving position on the support 36. This actuation is effected. by a rod 5 extending from the front to the rear of the machine .and being provided at its forward end with acontainer engaging member IIG. The rear end ofthe rod is provided with a yoke member Il8 having sides extending on each side of the arm II3, and'the sides being provided with an aperture to receive During movement of the pin- I I4 into the enlarged portion of the aperture in the yoke, spring I08 has urged the pawl into engagement with one of 1 the teeth of the ratchet, the disk 41 has rotated counter-clockwise, Figures 1 and 5, and the end of arm I01 has passedby the forward end of the arm IIO. As the pin II4 enters theenlarged portion of the aperture in the yoke H8, the stop lever is permitted to move in a clockwise direction about the pin. III until a roller I21, carried on the end of arm I I0, engages the periphery of a disk I30 secured to the inner end of the sleeve I00. -When I disk 41, and the pawl secured thereto, have completed one revolution the end of arm I01 engages the end of arm I10, and the pawl I05 is urged out of engagement with theratchet I02, the arm I I0 acting to disconnect the disk 41 from the sleeve I00, and also acting as a positive stop for the disk 41, whereby the operating parts of the machine are stopped at this point regardless of whether the container to which the cover has been applied isremoved from the support 36. In other words,

the rod II5 may be maintained in shifted position bythe presence of a container on the container support 36, butthe operating mechanism of the machine can only operate through one cycle.

It will be apparent that the motion transmitting means connecting the motor with the operating mechanism of the machine is particularly advantageous inasmuch as the operator is not required to remove the covered container at any particular instant.

port, a cover applying head movable from nora .mal position toward and from, said container support, means for supporting a plurality of covers in stack formation, a cover feed member slidably mounted in- -the frame below said stack formation and operable to'feed a cover to said head when the latter is in normal position, a cover transfer member movably mounted in the frame and normally positioned below said cover the transversely extending pin H4. The rod H5 is urged forwardly by spring I I9 extending from frame of the machine. The aperture in the side feed member and being operable during forward movement of said cover feed toward said head to move upwardly and engage the lowermost cover in said stack formation, and operable during return movement of said cover feed to-transfer. to said lowermost cover into juxtaposition to said cover feed member, and motion transmitting means operable to effect movement of said iiead and said cover feed member in timed relaion.

- 2. A machine for applying slip covers to containers comprising a frame, a container support,

r a cover'applying head movable from normal po,-

wells of the yoke I I8 is in the form of a substantially vertically extending slot I20 connecting with an enlarged forwardly extending slot having diverging top and bottom walls I2 I; The forward I wall I22 of the aperture is of arcuate formation.

when the machine is at rest, as shown in Fig-- ure 1, the pin II4 is arranged in the recess I23 at r the. top of the rear slot I22. The arrangement of the rock arm H0, H3, and the formation of the aperture in the yoke H8 is such that-when the sition toward and from saidcontainer support, means for supporting a plurality of covers'in stack formation, a cover feed member slidably mounted in the frame below said stack formation and operable to feed a cover-to said head when the latter is in normal position, a cover transfer member movably mounted in the frame and normally positioned below said cover feed member, a cam secured to the underside of said cover feed member and being cooperable with said cover transfer member during a reciprocation of said cover feed to move said transfer member upwardly, engage the lowermost cover in said stack formation, and transfer the same in juxtaposition to said cover feed member, and

motion transmitting means operable to effect able vertically toward support, said headbeing normally positioned to receive a cover fed movement of said head and said cover feed memher in timed relation.

3. A machine for'applying slip covers to containers comprising a suitable frame, a container support, a cover applying head movable vertically from normal position toward and from said container support, means for supporting-a "f plurality of covers in stack formation, a cover feed. member reciprocally mounted in the frame below said stack formation and movable toward and from said head when in normal position to feed the covers therein, a lever pivotally mounted in the frame below said cover feed member, a

4. A machine for applying slip covers to containers comprising a frame, a container support, a cover applying head slidablymounted in the frame and movable from normal position toward and from said container support, means for supportinga plurality of covers in stack formation, a cover feed member slidably mounted in the frame and operable upon movement toward said head to feed a cover into the head, a lever pivotally mounted below said cover feed member, a suction cup carried by said lever and being normally positioned below said cover feed member, a cam block secured to the under side of said cover feed'member and being cooperable with said lever to move the same about its pivot and to move said suction cup into engagement with the lowermost cover in said stack formation during movement of said cover feed member toward said head, and to effect movement of said lever to transfer said lowermost cover in juxtaposition to said cover feed member upon, return Y,

movement of the same, motion transmitting means connecting said cover feed member and said head and being operable to actuate the same in timed relation. v v

5, A machine for applying slip covers to 'containe'rs comprising a frame, a container support, means carried by the frame for supporting a plurality of covers in stack formation, a cover support, a cover transfer member movably mounted in the frame and operable when actuated to transfer th iowermost cover of saidstack formation to said cover support, a cover applying headmounted in the frame and-movand transfer the same into jux from said cover support, and a cover feed member operable to feed the cover from the cover support to the head,.a motor mounted in the frame,- motion transmitting means operable through a cycle to effect movement of the cover feed member toward the head and to subsequently move the head toward the container support to apply the cover to a container positioned thereon, means operable to actuate said cover transfer member during return movement 'of said cover feed member, and clutch means operable upon placement of a container on said container support to connect said motion transmitting means to the motor during one cycle of said means.

' 6. A machine for applying'slip covers to containers comprising a frame, a container support, means carried by the frame for supporting a plurality of covers in stack formatiomacover support,- a cover transfer member movably mounted in the frameand operable when actuated to transfer the lowermost cover of said stack formation to said cover support, a cover applying head mounted in the frame and movable vertically toward and from said container support, said head being normally positioned to re ceive a cover fed from said cover support, and a cover feed member operable to feed the cover from the cover support m the head, a motor mounted in the frame, motion transmittingv means operable through a cycle to effect movement of the cover feed member toward the head and to subsequently move the head toward the container support to apply the cover to a container positioned thereon, means operable to actuate said cover transfer member during return movement of said cover feed member, and clutch means operable upon placement of a container on said container support to connect said motion transmitting means to the motor and to automatically disconnect said motion transmitting means from the motor when said means has completed a single cycle.

7. A machine for applying slip covers to containers comprising a frame, a container support,

a head slidably mounted in the frame and movable vertically toward and from said support, a

in timed relation.

cover feed member slidably mounted in the frame toward and from said head and being operable to feed a cover to said head, means for supporting a plurality of covers in stack formation, an annular member carried by said stack supporting means and operable to yieldingly maintain said stack in spaced relation above said cover feed member, a cover' transfer member movably mounted in the frame and being operable upon a reciprocation of said cover feed member to transfer a cover from said stack formation to said feed member, and means operable to effect movement of said cover feed member and head JOHN PRICE.

and from said container Patent No 2,2 2,201.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTIOfi. August 12, 19in. I

JOHN F. PRICE.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5, second column, line 57, claim 1, strike out the word "to" first occurrence; and that the saidLetters Patent should be'r eadwith this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case int he Patent office. Signed and sealed this 7th day of October, A. n. 19in.

Henry Van Aredale,

(seal) Acting Commissioner offPatents, 

